I'm a Film Commissioner, Long Island International Film Expo Director, novelist, freelancer, ghost writer, casting director and producer. I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm sure it will be fun! Take my hand; join me on my journey.
"With regard to jobs and locations postings; Although I've worked with many of these people/companies before - please be advised that you contact them at your own risk and need to vet them for yourself. Caveat Emptor."

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hello All, (These must be in Nassau County)

A modern courthouse/room is needed for a pilot for a new USA television series - "A Legal Mind." (Not yet cast) They will need more courtrooms over the year, but one for one day for the pilot around mid-September.

For a foreign, independent feature, "Mamarosh," they're looking for government looking offices to look like customs and immigration offices. Also, an upscale loft with a filmable kitchen. Only a couple of days each mid-September.

This is a fun one, for feature film, "Man on a Ledge," they need to have a car drive parallel to a string of freight trains. The car then turns into the train and gets hit by it. So clearly, we need enough room next to a train for the car to drive, and a very friendly rail line.

If you have any suggestions, please e-mail debfilm@aol.com and reference the job name.Thank you.Debbie

Monday, August 30, 2010

LI Newstonight NYIT’s LI News Tonight is signing up interns for the Fall 2010 semester. If you or someone you know is interested in breaking into the television news industry, contact NYIT’s LI News Tonight at linewstonight@nyit.edu or 516 686-7952 to learn how we can put you on the air.

Interns/volunteers needed for the Nassau County Film Office. Hours of operation – Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 4:45 pm. Non-paying. Must be good on phone, computer literate, able to put in 2 – 3 days per week in Mineola office.

HBO's television movie, "Too Big Too Fail," needs two very large center hall colonials - one for three days and one for approximately a week. Still casting. Dates unspecified.

Feature film, "Arthur," needs a very large, green field over which to film two helicopters - one helicopter is filming the other. They will not be landing, and the only thing on the ground will be work lights, perhaps half a dozen, to light the ground.

Low-budget feature film, "Silent House," needs an isolated home they can board up for two months and take over. They prefer it vacant and by woods. They only have about $25,000 for the two months, but if you know of anyone at a bank that handle foreclosures, that could work. Or a family that is facing foreclosure and can stay somewhere for a couple of months - this could help them save their home. This is only a 30 person cast/crew situation, with a professional location manager who will respect the property.

For an Audi commercial - they need roads in Nassau County to show the scenic route. They will be doing area shots of the car driving. Must be in a film-friendly area.

If you have any suggestions, please e-mail debfilm@aol.com and reference the name of the job.

We will let you know as soon as the next Filmmakers Connection Meeting is scheduled – in the meanwhile – here are some other events you may be interested in for networking and meeting filmmakers.

Here are a couple of events we hope you’ll join us for:

Tuesday, August 31 at 7:00 pm at Five Towns College, Room 215 – be our guest at the Nashville Songwriters Association meeting where the guest will be Russ Camarda – this is a free meeting!! Their blurb: “The Long Island NSAI Workshop is having a special meeting held jointly with the Long Island Film/TV Foundation's Filmmakers Connection. Our guest will be filmmaker and media producer Russ Camarda who will discuss his feature films “'Night For Day'” and '“Lower Than the Angels'” as well as the logistics of writing music for film. We really want to encourage all of you to attend because, besides being incredibly informative, this meeting will hopefully be the beginning of a connection for our members with Long Island Filmmakers Connection. We are inviting members of the Filmmaker’s Connection to attend, so come out and network.”

LIIFE will be part of the Long Island Fringe Festival at the Tilles Center (CW Post Campus in Greenvale) on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26. Come and meet the filmmakers – almost all, if not all, will be there! Many of them have spoken at our filmmakers connection meetings before (I’ve included their name if they have/will be).Sat, Sept 2512:00 NoonThis Mortal Coil (Sean King!)Night for Day (Russ Camarda!)3 pm Hindsight (John Lazzaro)Just Like Joe (Fred Carpenter)Sun, Sept 2612:00 noonBathtub GinThe One That I WantPurgatory Comics (Ralph Suarez)3:00 pmMildred RichardsVideo Guys (Dan and Jeanne Brennan)

Screenings are $5 for members, $7 for the general public. You pay for one admission, and can go to any one film block (unless you buy the bundle and can see more than one film block). Link: http://www.tillescenter.org/event.cfm?id=549

If you’re interested in finding out up-to-the-minute information on film jobs that I hear about (both cast and crew) or locations needed for film/tv/commercials, plus other film related information (or my own personal musings), check www.debramarkowitz.blogspot.com You can also sign up for our twitter account below, and I will tweet whenever I have anything film-related of interest. Let’s keep the work here!!

If you had a film in the Long Island International Film Expo and have received a distribution deal (DVD, theatrical, and/or television), please send us a blurb and a link, and we’ll promote it for you on the Long Island International Film Expo facebook site.

If you have a home in Nassau County and would like to list it as a possible location for film/tv/commercial production, please contact debfilm@aol.com or call 516 571-3168.

If you have a business, service, or headshot you would like to bring to the attention of the dedicated audience that visits LongIslandFilm.com – consider placing a banner ad. They are quite reasonable this year, and could easily double in price by next year. If you sign up shortly, you will have your ad shown in random rotation for an entire year. Small banner ads are $150 – (120 x 60 pixels). Large banner ads are $300 (468 x 60 pixels). If interested, please e-mail your banner ad in the appropriate amount of pixels to debfilm@aol.com. Please include the URL you would like your ad to be connected to. You can pay by check to LIFTF, or by PalPay under “The Foundation” and then “Donations.” Just let us know when you send in your banner ad. You can now pay for your membership to the Filmmakers Connection through PayPal on the www.LongIslandFilm.com website. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone #, e-mail address, which area of the film industry you are involved in (ex. Writer/director/producer) and whether or not you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. Cost is $30 per year fee. If you are a student with current ID, it is $15 to join.)

If you would like to become a member (or renew your membership) of the Filmmakers Connection, please send $30, made out to the LIFTF to the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, c/o Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Side Entrance, Bellmore, NY 11710. You may also pay at the meetings. The $30 membership fee entitles you to attend the Filmmakers Connection meetings for free. It also entitles you to discounts on Foundation functions such as the Long Island International Film Expo, the Awards Ceremony party, all mailings and newsletters, and (if all other criteria is met) a chance at winning the $1,000/$500 Finishing Fund Grant. (When you send in your $30, please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and how you are involved with the film industry, i.e. director, producer, voice overs, etc.) and whether you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. If you are a student with appropriate college/high school ID, the cost is $15 to join for the year. If you do not join, you can still attend meetings for free.

Please be advised that the Foundation/Film Commissions/Film Offices are not responsible for speaker cancellations. Every effort will be taken to insure a speaker’s availability on the date mentioned. In case of a cancellation, every effort will be made to book an alternate speaker.

For information on the Long Island Film/TV Foundation contact Robert Hansen at 516 707-2237. For information about the Long Island International Film Expo, please contact Debra Markowitz at 516 571-3168.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Nonfiction film ideas are being accepted through August 17 for the Paleydocfest2010 Documentary Pitch Workshop, taking place October 16 at Manhattan's Paley Center. Five up-and-coming filmmakers will be chosen to have their concepts or works-in-progress evaluated as part of the workshop, with one winner receiving a completion grant. Details at paleycenter.org/pitch2010.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Hello All, It was great seeing you over the summer at LIIFE. Hope you had as great a time as we did.

We will let you know as soon as the next Filmmakers Connection Meeting is scheduled – in the meanwhile – here are some other events you may be interested in.

Here are a couple of events we hope you’ll join us for:

Tuesday, August 31 at Five Towns College, Room 215 – be our guest at the Nashville Songwriters Association meeting where the guest will be Russ Camarda – this is a free meeting!! Their blurb: “The Long Island NSAI Workshop is having a special meeting held jointly with the Long Island Film/TV Foundation's Filmmakers Connection. Our guest will be filmmaker and media producer Russ Camarda who will discuss his feature films “'Night For Day'” and '“Lower Than the Angels'” as well as the logistics of writing music for film. We really want to encourage all of you to attend because, besides being incredibly informative, this meeting will hopefully be the beginning of a connection for our members with Long Island Filmmakers Connection. We are inviting members of the Filmmaker’s Connection to attend, so come out and network.”

LIIFE will be part of the Long Island Fringe Festival at the Tilles Center (CW Post Campus in Greenvale) on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26. Screening times will be noon – 3 pm, and 3 pm – 6 pm both days. Films to be screened include Sean King’s “This Mortal Coil,” Russ Camarda’s “Night for Day,” the Brennan’s “Video Guys,” John Lazzaro’s, “Hindsight,” Fred Carpenter’s, “Just Like Joe,” and Ralph Suarez’s, “Purgatory Comics.” There are a few more films we’re waiting approval on, and will send you the link when we have it. Screenings are $5 for members, $7 for the general public.

If you’re interested in finding out up-to-the-minute information on film jobs that I hear about (both cast and crew) or locations needed for film/tv/commercials, plus other film related information (or my own personal musings), check www.debramarkowitz.blogspot.com You can also sign up for our twitter account below, and I will tweet whenever I have anything film-related of interest. Let’s keep the work here!!

If you had a film in the Long Island International Film Expo and have received a distribution deal (DVD, theatrical, and/or television), please send us a blurb and a link, and we’ll promote it for you on the Long Island International Film Expo facebook site.

If you have a home in Nassau County and would like to list it as a possible location for film/tv/commercial production, please contact debfilm@aol.com or call 516 571-3168.

If you have a business, service, or headshot you would like to bring to the attention of the dedicated audience that visits LongIslandFilm.com – consider placing a banner ad. They are quite reasonable this year, and could easily double in price by next year. If you sign up shortly, you will have your ad shown in random rotation for an entire year. Small banner ads are $150 – (120 x 60 pixels). Large banner ads are $300 (468 x 60 pixels). If interested, please e-mail your banner ad in the appropriate amount of pixels to debfilm@aol.com. Please include the URL you would like your ad to be connected to. You can pay by check to LIFTF, or by PalPay under “The Foundation” and then “Donations.” Just let us know when you send in your banner ad. You can now pay for your membership to the Filmmakers Connection through PayPal on the www.LongIslandFilm.com website. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone #, e-mail address, which area of the film industry you are involved in (ex. Writer/director/producer) and whether or not you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. Cost is $30 per year fee. If you are a student with current ID, it is $15 to join.)

If you would like to become a member (or renew your membership) of the Filmmakers Connection, please send $30, made out to the LIFTF to the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, c/o Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Side Entrance, Bellmore, NY 11710. You may also pay at the meetings. The $30 membership fee entitles you to attend the Filmmakers Connection meetings for free. It also entitles you to discounts on Foundation functions such as the Long Island International Film Expo, the Awards Ceremony party, all mailings and newsletters, and (if all other criteria is met) a chance at winning the $1,000/$500 Finishing Fund Grant. (When you send in your $30, please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and how you are involved with the film industry, i.e. director, producer, voice overs, etc.) and whether you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. If you are a student with appropriate college/high school ID, the cost is $15 to join for the year. If you do not join, you can still attend meetings for free.

Please be advised that the Foundation/Film Commissions/Film Offices are not responsible for speaker cancellations. Every effort will be taken to insure a speaker’s availability on the date mentioned. In case of a cancellation, every effort will be made to book an alternate speaker.

For information on the Long Island Film/TV Foundation contact Robert Hansen at 516 707-2237. For information about the Long Island International Film Expo, please contact Debra Markowitz at 516 571-3168.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Film Office Director Debra Markowitz with Tim DeKay and Matthew Bomer of "White Collar" and Kathy Pasquale on set.

Hello All, (These locations must be in Nassau County)1)Television show, "White Collar," is looking for a modern, glass building with an atrium.2)Feature film "Detached," needs institutional, yet peaceful building - should have "green" surroundings. Tree and a bench in front. This is for a small, feature shoot (but stars Adrian Brody).If you have any suggestions, please e-mail debfilm@aol.com, and please reference which job this is for.Thank you!Best,Debbie

Looking for a real people for a web video - A Nurse in her 50's, a Mom in her 30's and a Beauty "Junkie" in her 40's. Paid one day shoot. Pls message me suggestions and repost. Contact Rose Viggiano at rose.viggiano@gmail.com.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Hello All, (This location must be in Nassau County)For an independent horror film, "Silent House," they need a home for two months (to prep and wrap and for an actual 10 days of filming). This is an 80 person cast/crew situation. They're looking for a large summer home in a rural town. Home should not be delapidated, but not newly rennovated either. Should be near woods and have at least four bedrooms. It should not have too many homes around it.I know this is a tall order, but if you can't think of anything, please contact me at debfilm@aol.com.

Firstly, that casting job for children that I posted yesterday has been filled - please don't send any more resumes/e-mails - thank you.

Via Michelle Rouhani: CASTING: Indy feature film needs bg actors Sept-Nov 2010. Shooting in and around NY, LI & NJ. Men-women ages 18-75 yrs old, all ethnicities encouraged to apply. Pays $85/day for non union and SAG scale for SAG actors. Will post for special ability and stand ins info when needed. Pls submit hs/resume to cpcre8tivemedia@aol.com. In subject line put: Blackmail BG (and if you're not on CP Cre8tive Media Casting page,please do so for up to date castings. Not all posts get put on her page).

Locations needed for a large movie shoot. If you have any suggestions, please e-mail debfilm@aol.com. These must be in Nassau County, NY.

Thank you.

1) Villain's Laira factory or industrial space for the interior lair of our master villain - architecturally dynamic, enormous, the more hi-tech the better but could be something old we convert into hi-tech with manufacturing component. a sprawling space, that could feel temporary, like he just set up shop in there recently, and is on the move/in hiding. still looking to feel remote, not NYC, would be nice if it had an interior/exterior aspect. someplace we can build into, with some character that is dissonant with the tech enterprise that is going on inside.

examples: closed down museums, old train stations or bus terminals, water treatment plants or other industrial spaces, massive nightclub or converted church, military bunker, in iron man they shot in a a factory that builds commercial aircraft, quarries, crypts

2) Hi-tech Research-Facilitya hi-tech "campus" (or cluster of buildings) - like a Google or Cupertino facility with modern exteriors (especially glass) with great interior spaces that could be used as labs, etc (we like Brookhaven National Labs, but would love to see more options)

3) Stark Tower lobbylobby of a glass, ultra-modern skyscraper, featuring atrium with multiple levelsthey love the hearst tower for this but no filming allowed. If there are any brand new high end glass buildings in Nassau County, we'd love to take a look.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Hello All, These must be in Nassau County.Locations are needed for the following projects. If you have any suggestions, please e-mail debfilm@aol.com. Thank you.1) For television program, "The Good Wife," they need an exterior of a mall or mall-like location. Know of any centers that are empty? I do have all the regular malls in Nassau County, but don't know of any that are empty.2) For television program, "White Collar," looking for modern looking building with a lot of glass and atrium, similar to RXR Plaza in Uniondale. 3)For feature film, "Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You," starring Marcia Gay Harden and Ellen Burstyn. Looking for a house next to a junkyard for a three day shoot in September. Any areas or homes ring a bell?4)Large feature film (can't say what it is) looking to shoot January 2011 - July 2011 - needs a large research facility - glass buildings - likes RxR bldg in Uniondale - so it should be like that - very modern and glass.Thank you for your help. Again, please send suggestions to debfilm@aol.com.

Naked in the Rain

About Me

Debra Markowitz is the Director of the Nassau County Film Office. In this capacity, Ms. Markowitz presides over the Nassau County Film Commission, now known as the Nassau County Film Advisory Board, and chairs as its Executive Director.
Ms. Markowitz also serves as Vice President of the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, Long Island’s most established and largest not-for-profit agency dedicated to the support and promotion of independent filmmaking. She also helped found the Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE).
Debra Markowitz is also a freelance writer and novelist. The third book in her trilogy (following Naked in the Rain and Sarah and Caleb), Karmic Wind is set for release in 2013. For a complete list of her work, please visit her site, www.debramarkowitz.com.
An enthusiastic fellow filmmaker, Ms. Markowitz has acted as Casting Director, consultant, writer and producer on movie, television and commercial projects individually and with CastingKarma.
Debra Markowitz is also an avid yoga practitioner.